There has always been a debate around 'youth vs experience' in sport, with opposing arguments for which provides the greater pathway to success.
Golf is a lifelong sport, played by participants across the age-spectrum at varying stages of ability – and for many it's a vital part of their existence . As a sport, there are certain scenarios where either youth or experience can be arguably more valuable, but how much does age impact on how far players hit the golf ball?
Thanks to the latest Arccos data, we are able to share a tee-shot-specific answer to that question, and reveal the age amateur golfers hit the longest drives...
At What Age Does An Amateur Golfer Hit Their Driver The Furthest?
Before we get into which age range of golfer hits the ball the furthest with their driver, it's important first to set out the parameters.
For this dataset, age categories have mostly been broken down into 10-year sections starting with golfers in their twenties and finishing with golfers in their seventies. The only caveat to that is a smaller cohort of golfers at the younger-end of the spectrum, ranging from 15-19 years old.
As the data graphics below indicate, the age range that male amateur golfers drive the golf ball the furthest on average is during their twenties. This can be said for every analysed handicap group, and while this might not come as a total surprise it is interesting to see a total dominance for this age category across the board.
With exception of the plus-figure golfers at the top end of the amateur game, where the 15-19 category ranked runner-up, the second highest ranking age category for driving distance was the thirties.
15-19 assumed bronze for any golfers at scratch or above and, as probably expected, the driving distance averages followed a trend of driving distance averages decreasing in line with your age.
Interestingly, however, their is proof in this data that age is just a number – with the driving distance average for a plus-figure handicap golfer in their 70s (213 yards) being longer than that of any age golfer in the 25-handicap and up group.
That theme continues with single-figure golfers in their sixties having a higher driving distance average than a golfer of any age playing off 25 or higher, while a single-figure golfer in their fifties averages a longer driving distance than a player of any age who has a handicap index of 15 or higher.
When you consider that the lowest age-related average driving distance for a plus-figure handicapper is 213 yards, and 209 for a golfer with a handicap less than 5, the correlation between driving distance and handicap index becomes even more obvious.
How Can I Improve My Driving Distance?
So, if you want to improve your driving distance, and ultimately your handicap, what can you do about it? Firstly, generating more power in the golf swing should be a priority, while also ensuring that you create the correct driver launch angle.
Adding a few yards to your tee shots might not solve all of your problems, but the data suggests that the further you hit it off the tee; the more chance you have got to reduce your handicap and shoot lower scores.
